Thrips
Signs: Silvery stippled or bronzed leaf surfaces with tiny black specks of frass underneath.
Remedy: Hose foliage undersides regularly, apply insecticidal soap or oil at first sign, and avoid drought-stressing the hedge.
[ Hedging plants ]
Viburnum
Viburnum tinus
Viburnum tinus is the workhorse of shaded Sydney gardens. Its leathery dark-green leaves and pale pink bud clusters give year-round structure, and it thrives where many hedge plants struggle. A slower starter than Lilly Pilly, but once established it forms a solid, low-maintenance boundary.
Excellent in part shadeLeathery evergreen leavesPink-tinted winter flower budsDrought tolerant once establishedBest for 1 m – 2.5 m hedges
Enquire about Viburnum 
At a glance
- Sun
- Part shade to full sun
- Water
- Low to moderate
- Growth rate
- Slow to moderate
- Mature height
- 2.5 m – 3.5 m unclipped
- Soil
- Adaptable; prefers improved soil
- Frost tolerance
- Hardier than most hedge plants
How to look after it
- 01Plant in autumn or spring so roots settle before temperature extremes.
- 02Trim after the winter/spring flowering flush to keep a neat outline.
- 03Add compost at planting and top-dress each spring.
- 04Tolerates dry spells once established; avoid overwatering mature plants.
- 05Space plants 60–80 cm apart for a dense hedge at maturity.
[ Pests & problems ]
What to look out for
The most common issues we see on Viburnum hedges around Sydney — how to spot them early, and what to do about them.
Scale insects
Signs: Oval brown shells on woody stems, sticky residue and ants working the plant.
Remedy: Apply horticultural oil to coat stems thoroughly and repeat in three weeks to catch the next crawler stage.
Sooty mould
Signs: Dull black coating dimming the dark green leaves, especially in shaded, still positions.
Remedy: Control the underlying sap-sucker, wash leaves with soapy water and open up the hedge interior for better airflow.
